" Split p e a sonality ! "

The yin and the yang of legumes ( split peas and Turkish dhal)





A creamy, flavorful rendition of "two peas in a pod!"




Accompanied by " garlic bread leaf croutons"





Or crispy puff pastry croutons with an interesting crunch ( See below for the how to)





Five star comfort cuisine with puff pastry cutouts





This presentation will have your family or your guests pondering on how you separated the two colors in the pumpkin and in a way it is fun and echoes the premise of this presentation.
Often these legumes are looked upon as culinary hum drum, but when cooked down, it becomes a creamy vehicle for kick a.. soul food! Each personality of these interesting legumes will emerge when you the mistress or master mind manipulate its gastronomic interdependence to achieve a sensational soup symphony. For me, surreal as this may sound, this soup spells Fall with its colorful leaves and also playing in the soft snow, glistening in the bright sunlight. It is then that I realize.......time to get my a.. inside out of this frigid yet refreshing arctic air and have a steamy bowl of soup!

Here now finally the recipe:

These are just ordinary ingredients none of your exotic heroics! Please use organic ingredients when possible!

• 1/4 lb green split peas and a 1/4 lb Turkish masoor dhal ( available from Indian grocer)
• whole allspice berries and some cloves
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 cup frozen green fresh peas
• 1/4 c chives
• 1/4 c chopped leeks
• 1/2 c chopped cilantro
• 1/2 c chopped parsley
  
• garlic powder or fresh even though the powdered form here proves more effective!
  
• few turns of crack black
• 6 carrots
• 1 big onion
• 1 tomato peeled
• tomato paste
• 1 potato
• 2 roasted jalapeno seeds removed ( sometimes I purchase these from Mexican markets where they only roast these chillies in huge drums and can you imagine the aroma..... AWESOME!!!!
  
• cumin
  

Normally I just make one color and that is just the green split peas with all the veggies cooked down with the tomato paste added but I really wanted to evoke some playfulness and I can assure you, anyone will enjoy eating their veggies in this way!

Boil the two different color legumes in separate saucepans. To the green split peas, add some salt, water just enough to cover, a few allspice berries and cloves and the leeks and cook until creamy. Add enough water to thin out the soup . Add the peas, only 1/4 c of cilantro, 1/4 c of the parsley, the chives, garlic powder and the crack black and cook for few minutes more. Blend this mixture, pour back into saucepan with one of the roasted jalapenos and keep on a low heat.

Meanwhile to the Turkish dhal, add some water just enough to cover, salt, crack black, allspice, cloves and cook for about 20 mins. Add the peeled carrots, onion, potato, and cook further until the whole veggies are tender making sure to add water continuously to keep the soup of pourable consistency. Blend this mixture with the peeled fresh tomatoes and the remainder of the cilantro and parsley . Pour back into saucepan and add 2 T of tomato paste and the other whole roasted jalapeno and a touch of cumin. keep both saucepans on a low simmer until ready to eat.

Croutons

I rolled out puff pastry and made twists and even cut out letters of the alphabet. I brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with grated sharp cheddar and Parmesan and paprika OR brush some with an egg wash and sprinkle with your favorite crushed potato chips and then bake.

For the leaves:

Use a cookie cutter and cut shapes from bread, brush with melted garlic butter, dip the edges in chopped parsley and bake

Sometimes I make this soup with meat. Please enjoy!

Nazarina A


Roast chicken noodle soup with kicka.....crispy straws